Wednesday, June 19, 2013

Helloooooooooooooooo Brantley!

The Tribe was getting shut down hardcore today by the Royals' starter, who has an ERA of over 4 and is not very good. They had nothing but a walk until the 5th when BOOM! Brantley breaks a no-hit streak with his 3rd home run.

In the meantime, Masterson was busy giving up 9 hits but holding the Royals to just one run. Almost like those starters are really proving to work well under pressure. Perhaps...preferably under pressure? It sort of makes for more exciting baseball, that's for sure! Is it a conspiracy?

Masterson ended up with a quality start, going 6 1/3 innings only walking 2 and striking out 8 again! That's 71 strikeouts over the last 68 innings!

What's nice is that he left with a runner on base and Bryan Shaw didn't let the runner score. Hey, that's new! (No, actually, Bryan Shaw is the best of the new guys...)

Joe Smith came in for the 9th and gave up another run. Dangit, Joe Smith! You do not give up runs! His ERA is a crazy (for him) 1.78 right now. But I guess he's just following the footsteps of the other Tribe closers - if he's got some runs to give up, he will.

All told, the three guys gave up 3 runs. The bullpen will be WELL rested after the off day tomorrow!

As I said, hitting was non-existent until the 5th inning, but they ended up with 6 runs on 7 hits.

Michael Bourn has a 4-game hitting streak - albeit with just 4 hits over those 4 games - but he's also got 4 runs scored. Oh and 3 of those 4 hits have been doubles (including tonight) - and the third hit, last night, pretty much was a double, the outfielder just got lucky. He also walked today so he came in to score twice. Probably because the rest of the top of the lineup is hot hot hot!

Aviles is setting in at the second spot and tonight he got a biiiiiig RBI single. "Big" as in it hit the wall and stuff. He started off the scoring in the 3-run 6th, and came around to score himself. Later in the 7th he got a sac fly to score Stubbs. He leads the team in sac flies with 5, and also has a sac bunt. He actually was about to bunt today when he hit that tower over Gordon's head. Sneaky!

Kipnis was back on track today, after being shut out Monday, breaking his streak. Yesterday he got a hit and then today he officially started a new streak at 2! He went 1 for 2 on the night with 2 walks. His average has jumped 20 points in 10 games!

Tonight was totally the Michael Brantley show! He had been on an 0 for 11 slide with just 9 hits in 50 at-bats in June. He has always been our "Mr. Reliable" and was doing well for a bit after his pop talked to him in May, but he was slumping again. I think I heard tell that Mickey visited with him again today, or maybe it was just speculated that he did, because Brantley got not one but TWO homers today!

Enough to make Mickey smile!

I didn't realize this but Brantley only got 6 homers total last year. I coulda swore he had more but nope, just 6. Well now he's already got 4! He got 3 RBI off them today, too. Do you think this is the beginning of another upward swing for Cousin Michael? A little over half the season left for him to climb to .333...

We're still waiting on Reynolds, who both shaved his beard (I'm not sure when) and got a hit today. But more importantly he was showing Kotchman-like skill over at first, snagging not one but two improbable line drives!

Speaking of waiting - still no Nick Swisher. However, the BROHIO shirt is gaining momentum. Now they're not just available for people sitting in the Mercedes dealer seats behind the dugout, but the Indians offered up 100 shirts for the first 100 people to buy tickets in section 117 (up in the right field corner). If they type in "brohio" as a code. What a weird thing, huh? Why not just sell these shirts, Indians?!

Whatever, though. If you want a Brohio shirt, buy a ticket for the Friday, June 21 game in section 117 and use the code "brohio."

I forgot to mention that Lonnie Chisenhall came back yesterday, after hitting .390 in the minors. He did not get a hit. He did not get a hit today, either. Man, I thought that kid would be hitting over .300 legit this year! Can't seem to hit his way nowhere.

Drew Stubbs, in the meantime, is still holding down the fort there at 9th. He's got 10 hits in his last 10 games. He went 1 for 4 today and came in to score!

So that's 3 series wins in a row, plus another full game over the Royals for 2nd place, and also the Tigers got trounced 13-3 by the Orioles today so we gained a full game on them too. Well done, all around!

Tomorrow's an off day and then we take on the Twins at home. Dollar dogs, fireworks AND Brohio shirts! What a night!

It'll be Kazmir versus RHP 3.26. Hey, Chisenhall is 1 for 2 off this guy with a homer! Maybe it'll be his lucky day.

I'm excited for another great series, are you? See you there!

Radio Chatter:
"When Rosie and I go golfing we meet a whole lot of people, usually because we're in their back yards."
- Tom Hamilton on the joys of slicing out of bounds

"The roof has literally caved in on them."
- Tom Hamilton after the Royals lost the lead

"You go to Comerica Park sometimes and you're like 'Good lord, how much juice have they added to this gun?'"
- Tom Hamilton on pitch speeds at Comerica Park

"If you come to a ballgame as a child and sit in a suite, you're spoiled for life."
- Tom Hamilton's non-sequitor of the night